Amateur-built DHC-2 MK I accident near Stehekin, Washington, May 17, 2008
On May 17, 2008 at about 11:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-2 MK I, registered N9558Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Stehekin, Washington. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to retract the landing gear wheels prior to performing a water landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's disabling of the landing gear warning/advisory system and possible fatigue due to his work schedule.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2008 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Stehekin, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-2 MK I
- Registration
- N9558Q · no longer on the register · serial 1151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amphibious-float-equipped airplane departed from a paved runway for the 40-nautical-mile flight to its destination, where a water landing on a lake was to be made. The pilot did not raise the landing gear after takeoff. During the flight, the air was bumpy and turbulent, and this resulted in the gear advisory system activating numerous times. The purpose of the system is to alert the pilot of the landing gear position--up for a water landing or down for a runway landing--when the airspeed decreased below a set threshold value. The pilot disabled the system by pulling its circuit breaker because the alerts were becoming a nuisance; he intended to reset the breaker during descent, but did not do so. Upon reaching the destination, the pilot set up a 150- to 200-feet-per-minute rate of descent for a glassy water landing on the lake. With the landing gear in the down position, the airplane contacted the water and abruptly nosed over. The airplane came to rest floating inverted, suspended by the floats. The pilot reported that the day of the accident was his nineteenth consecutive duty day, including office duty and flight duty. He stated that he feels the lack of days off during the previous 19 days was a contributing factor to this accident. When asked what would have prevented the accident, the pilot suggessted consistency in using the checklist. On two flights earlier in the day he had used a written checklist; on the accident flight he did not.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during initial climb
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Not used/operated
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › Fatigue due to work schedule › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,747 hours in all; 637 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 4,951 as pilot in command; 329 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 17, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,070 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 2008; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,370 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lake Chelan Air Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: S10 Chelan WA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: Stehekin WA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.